Flag of the Republic of the Congo

The history of the Republic of Congo flag is the history of the nation's political changes. The Congo was one of the few nations that used a flag prior to the colonial period, but the flag was replaced when the Congo entered the French sphere of influence. Every political change in the Congo from that point on led to a change in the nation's flag, and that sequence of changes finally led to the adoption of the current flag of the Republic of the Congo in 1991.

The flag of the Republic of the Congo was originally adopted on August 18, 1958. It was abandoned in 1970, but then readopted on June 10, 1991

Capital of the Republic of the Congo: Brazzaville

Area of the Republic of the Congo: 341,500 sq. km

Languages used in the Republic of the Congo: French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba, many local languages and dialects including Kikongo

Religions in the Republic of the Congo: Christian, animist, Muslim

Colors and Symbolism of the Republic of Congo Flag

The flag of the Republic of the Congo is made up of three diagonal sections of green, yellow, and red that radiate from the lower-hoist corner of the flag. The green section represents both the agricultural output of the country and its forests. The yellow stripe stands for the people of the Congo, their nobility, and their love of friendship. The red section of the flag was not assigned any specific symbolic value when the flag was designed. The three colors are also associated with the Pan-African movement, which allows the Republic of Congo flag to serve as a symbol of the nation's solidarity with the rest of the African continent.

History of the Flag of the Republic of the Congo

The oldest flag to represent the Congo came into use when it was still an independent kingdom. The earliest recordings of the flag, which was made up of a red X on a white field, date back to the 17th century. The flag fell out of use when the Congo came under French control. The French government did not allow the Congo to have a colonial flag of its own in order to prevent the people of the Congo from developing nationalist feelings that could lead to a revolution, so the French flag represented the region during that period.

The Congo gained a new flag of its own in 1959, when it became an autonomous region in France. It retained that flag when it gained full independence in 1960. The flag was identical to the modern flag, but it fell out of use when a revolutionary movement overthrew the new government and instituted a communist regime. The new government adopted a red flag with a gold star, hoe, hammer, and wreath in the canton in 1970. The flag of 1959 returned to use in 1991 when that government left power, and it has been used ever since.